to think our school should proof read newsletters properly?

[seeker]

I am a governor at out school and there's a meeting this afternoon. I am thinking of asking whether I could have the job of proof reading the newsletters because I think the illiterate gibberish that goes out now gives the school a bad name. Or am I being old fashioned and precious and the only person in the world who is bothered by this sort of stuff and I should get over myself?

YANBU.

Maybe I should volunteer to do the same at our school?

I know what you mean, Seeker.

I know what you mean although I'd suggest offering to 'organise' the newsletter might go down better if the person who normally writes it will be at the meeting. If you don't know who does it, you will do at the meeting because they will be the one with the cat's arse mouth glaring at you.

Who writes them at the moment, and who proof reads them at the moment? Does the same problem extend to notice boards and displays?

I was just going through the local comprehensive website one last time to see if I was going mad for even considering going private for my second child (as I have with my first).

There on the homepage were two glaring grammatical errors.

Now I know that private schools aren't exempt from such mistakes but I haven't ever seen such mistakes on my son's private school website (well, only when the PTA are writing newsletters).

It matters a lot to me. I do judge schools by their material: they're teaching my children literacy, after all.

The school secretary does it. She is one of those doctor's receptionist type people who knows where everything is and how everything works and I don't think is ever challenged. I think people are a bit scared of her. I'm not, but then I did work for Kenneth Clark at one stage in my life! She won't be at the meeting.

I REALLY can't let the world being told that the school will be closed for a "Bi-Election" go!

Don't they use spellchecker?

I think they do - that's the problem!

I think you should say something. Then report back!

If I still have fingers to type with, you mean?

Exactly!

some of the letters we get home from dd's school are hilarious, if its something to do with a trip with dates on it it is always wrong, the days and dates dont match up and the tear off slip says something different to the actual letter, i have mentioned it to the school before and the letters got better for a few months then went back to full of mistakes

If you want to proof read the newsletter, I think you really need to volunteer to produce the whole thing. She may be groaning under the weight of all the other tasks she has and be really grateful that someone is going to lessen her load.

I have been tempted, on a number of occasions, to go through a newsletter or school letter with a red pen, highlighting all the errors, and returning it with a grade at the bottom.

I know that school secretaries are hard-working and over-worked, but surely someone on the teaching staff is checking these letters before they go out? In which case, a misspelt, grammatically and factually incorrect letter reflects badly on the literacy of the school.

I was pretty much ready to tell you to get over yourself, but you say that the school secretary produces the letters? That is really bad - i would expect her to have a good level of literacy, above average really. At my DDs nursery, which is adjoined to the primary school, the newsletter is produced by the "friends" volunteers. We received one the other day and i did pick out a few blinding grammatical errors (for some reason i can spot poor english at ten thousand paces, but my written english is really awful!) and thought it was a bit off. But then i thought to myself, hmmmm, when you can be bothered to get off your arse and do something for the school, then you can criticize other peoples efforts. The school secretary though, she is being paid FGS. I would raise the issue with the head to be honest - how embarrasing if she is sending out letters with the same sort of mistakes!

Nearly all the letters we get from school have something wrong. Most are just incomprehensible. They leave out important facts, have incorrect dates, and just don't make sense. I think it is a test for parents to see how many end up with the correct response - who needs the Krypton Factor when you have school letters.

Message withdrawn

OK, I am officially a wimp. The clerk to the governors was ill, so the school secretary was taking the minutes at the governors meeting - and I said nothing. Don't know if it was through disecretion, kindness or fear.....!

LOL at 'bi-election'

Our school website used to be absolutely riddled with mistakes. It was particularly bad because the website is one of the first things that prospective parents look at IME. I approached the Head and told her I'd be happy to proof it for them - I think it shamed her into action!

As I said elsewhere, I don't see why they can't vote with the straight and gay people. It's political correctness gone mad!

Point it out to the Head. I'm sure she doesn't want parents confused by the notion that the school elects its own LGBT representative. No point faffing about with dragon woman, she'll only make you cry.